Washington & Lee University gets plaque honoring Robert E. Lee’s horse Traveler (even though the Confederate General is still in the name of the college)
Virginia’s Washington & Lee University torn down a memorial plaque honoring the horse of Confederate general Robert E. Lee, after whom the school is still partially named.
The plaque honoring Traveler, placed over the horse’s grave, was removed from its place outside Lee Chapel, a National Historic Landmark as part of a series of relocations.
In July, the school removed plaques anchoring the room where Lee took his oath of office as the school’s president in 1865 and the other marking his office from 1865-68.
In 2021 the school announced a plan dedicated to concepts of diversity, equity and inclusion that removed much of the general’s impression of the school.
They announced plans to discontinue Founders Day — which took place on Lee’s birthday — and rename a chapel dedicated to him, alongside rejections of racism.
Virginia’s Washington & Lee University torn down a memorial plaque honoring Confederate general Robert E. Lee’s horse, after whom the school is still partially named
In July, the school removed plaques anchoring the room where Lee took his oath of office as the school’s president in 1865 and the other marking his office from 1865-68.
The plaque to Traveler was erected in 1930 by a local chapter of the United Daughters of the Confederacy
“We have reviewed campus symbols, names and practices and are making changes to remove any doubt about our separation from the Confederacy and the Lost Cause,” the university’s board of trustees said in the plan.
The plaque to Traveler was erected in 1930 by a local chapter of the United Daughters of the Confederacy.
It read, “Traveller’s last house. Through war and peace the loyal, devoted and beloved horse of General Robert Lee. Posted by the Virginia Division, United Daughters of the Confederacy.”
The horse lived in the stables next to the president’s house from 1869 to 1871, a year after Lee died in the school president’s house.
Every Washington & Lee president has since lived in the house and used the stables as their garage, according to The W&L Spectator.
The school also replaced a plaque at the horse’s grave that honored the horse by removing a plaque that removed all mention of the Confederacy and General Lee.
University spokesman Dewry Sackett told The College fix the decision was made a year ago.
Kamron Spivey, the president of Students For Historical Preservation, said this disrespects the campus’s history.
Founded in 1749, the school was initially called Augusta Academy but changed names several times
The plaque honoring Traveler, placed over the horse’s grave, was removed from its place outside Lee Chapel, a National Historic Landmark as part of a series of relocations
“People like to hear stories about animals because they’re not doing anything wrong. That’s how Traveler is immortalized in the history of the campus,” Spivey said. “He was a faithful horse whose beauty and loyalty, according to Robert E. Lee, would inspire poets. Until this month few people seemed to be bothered by the horse.’
People often left apples, a favorite treat of horses, at Traveler’s grave.
Due to a misappraisal of Lee’s contributions and positive legacy as an educator, university officials believe any reference to the man will detract from student enrollment. Instead of addressing the issue directly, they are secretly trying to hide their history from the world,” Spivey added.
‘(T)the university must keep the original markings. If the goal is to contextualize a historic site, there’s no better place than the original location where they were built.’
Founded in 1749, the school was initially called Augusta Academy but changed names several times.
When George Washington donated stock that helped form the school’s endowment in 1796, the university was named Liberty Hall Academy. The school changed its name to Washington Academy to honor the donation and became Washington College in 1813.
Four months after losing to Ulysses S Grant – ending the short existence of the Confederacy – Robert E. Lee was inaugurated as president of the university in 1865. He served five years until his death and is buried in a mausoleum in the Lee Chapel on campus.
The school added his name at the time of his death.
The school also replaced a plaque at the horse’s grave that honored the horse by removing a plaque that removed all mention of the Confederacy and General Lee.
The new plaque makes no mention of General Lee or the Confederacy
People often left apples, a favorite treat of horses, at Traveler’s grave
The university has held talks to remove the name since August 2017, when white supremacists marched nearby in Charlottesville. Then-President William C. Dudley rejected the idea and formed a committee to issue a formal report on why the decision was made.
While the committee said the school must recognize that Lee supported slavery and allow only white men to attend the school, it also determined that the school should retain the “Generals” name for its sports teams.
However, the 2021 diversity plan announced that the board of directors rejected a name change by a margin of 22-6.
Black students did not enroll in the school for nearly a century after the end of the Civil War. Dennis Haston, the first African-American student, enrolled in 1962.
The school owned slaves as late as 1852.